Angola colobus monkey
| Angola colobus monkey | ||||||||||||
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Angola colobus monkey ( Colobus angolensis ) |
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| Colobus angolensis | ||||||||||||
| P. Sclater , 1860 |
The Angola colobus monkey or Angola coat monkey ( Colobus angolensis ) is a species of primate from the group of colobus monkeys . It is closely related to the well-known coat monkey and has the southernmost distribution area of all representatives of its genus.
features
As with almost all black and white colobus monkeys , the fur is colored in a rich contrast. The basic color of the coat is black, with long, white hair around the face and shoulders. The tail ends in a small, white tassel. Like all colobus monkeys, they are slender, long-tailed animals with receded thumbs. These primates reach a head body length of 49 to 68 centimeters, to which a 70 to 83 centimeter long tail comes. The weight varies between 6 and 12 kilograms, with the males becoming heavier than the females.
distribution and habitat
Angola colobus monkeys are native to eastern and southern Africa, their range includes the south and east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Rwanda , Burundi , Kenya , Tanzania , northeastern Angola and northeastern Zambia . They are forest dwellers, but live in different forest types such as rain and dry forests .
Lifestyle and diet
These primates are diurnal and pronounced tree dwellers that almost never come to the ground. They live in groups that consist of one male, two to six females and their offspring. But there are also reports of temporary groupings of up to 300 animals. The groups defend a relatively small territory, which they draw the attention of other groups to with morning roaring concerts.
Leaves make up the main part of the diet of Angolan colobus monkeys, but they also eat seeds, fruits, buds and flowers. A multi-chambered stomach helps them to utilize the difficult to digest leaf food.
Reproduction
In a group, the male reproduces with all the females, so there is a polygynous mating behavior. After a gestation period of five to six months, the female usually gives birth to a single young, twins are rare. Newborns initially have a white coat, only after several months do the adult animals develop their black and white coat. Young animals are weaned at around 15 months. Females reach sexual maturity at two and males at four, at which point the males have to leave their birth group.
Threat and protection
Due to the hunting for their fur and meat and the destruction of their habitat, the populations have declined in many places, but due to their large distribution area, Angola colobus monkeys are not yet endangered species. They become traffic victims on roads that run through forest areas. This can be prevented by so-called "colobridges" that connect the treetops across the street.
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin a. a. 2003, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
Web links
- Information on the Animal Diversity Web
- Colobus angolensis in the red list of endangered species of the IUCN 2006. Posted by: T. Butynski & Members of the Primate Specialist Group, 2000. Retrieved on 5 June of 2008.
- www.colobustrust.org
- Video "Colobus crossing colobridge"